I contacted a friend to share my discovery and we conspired to find the best source to combine our orders for purchase. Our search led us to Ebay that offered multiple models of varying sizes and styles. They come in 10, 8, and 6 opening sizes and some are double-deckers. They can be used for catching smelt, eel crab, lobster, minnow, shrimp, crawfish, etc. Our thoughts were to acquire one that was small enough to carry in a pack for hiking and so settled on a simple 6 opening design.

We took it to a pond and baited it with refrigerator leftovers, some bread and bits of sausage. I tied on a line and lowered it into the water and waited for about a half hour not knowing what would appear at it’s retrieval. When I pulled it up it contained bass small fry that wriggled all over the bottom. Depending on what is caught the contents could be used as bait or if large enough for eating.

I look forward to placing this portable folding net trap in various locations to see what exists and of course to enhance my fishing capabilities. Further research revealed comments from other users who mentioned that the side zipper, while sewn onto the net, had to first be unzipped to allow cutting open the mesh behind it to allow access into the trap. Also, some folks added some weights to allow the net to sink faster into the water as well as providing a better anchor in moving water. I found that once the trap got wet it went down okay for me and I want to keep it light for packing.

I recommend this for any fisherman or even for use by home-schoolers to discover what lies beneath the waters surface. It is simple and easy to use and I look forward to the next outing to employ it.

Here are some of it’s applications:

FISH GORGE – bait is placed on the fish gorge with the purpose that the fish will swallow the bait and gorge in whole that in turn will twist within the fishes gullet or mouth allowing the fish to be caught and retrieved.
TRAP AND DEADFALL TRIGGER – Traps and deadfalls use stored energy from a bent sapling or from elevated dead weight. The toggle enables a delicate trigger to be placed in such a way as to release these devices to snare or crush the intended small game animal.
TARPS / CLOTHING – A toggle can be passed through a grommit or loop and when turned 90 degrees and will hold fast a tarp or join the seam of clothing.
HAMMOCK SUSPENSION – Hammock enthusiasts have found that a quick way to attach tree straps to their hammock lines is by using a toggle. In lieu of an actual toggle a small bar is used as a marlin spike that in turn performs as a toggle for connection.
SURVIVAL WRIST BAND – A simple attachment for the popular paracord wrist band is a small ferro rod that can be used to start fires when needed. The ferro rod is the toggle that is placed through it’s corresponding loop.

You can see from these examples how effective toggles can be which is why this is such a valued tool throughout history. You may find other applications but it’s a good tool in your survival knowledge base that could make a huge difference in a survival situation.

 

Laws can differ from region to region so I would suggest that you inquire with local authorities before you try this for yourself in Public waters. I have access to a private stocked pond and thus have the liberty to try any and all fishing methods. I respect laws but continue to learn techniques that could save my life in an emergency situation.

A twitch-up trap uses a sapling or pole that is flexible which provides tension or spring action so that when it’s bent over it holds “potential energy” that when released quickly pulls a line that will close a noose or set a hook, depending on it’s application. Near the tip of the pole is usually a short notched stick that holds the bent pole in place until it is triggered.

I began to think of an alternate method to accomplish this and used a regular fishing pole instead of a sapling. I eventually bought a tiki torch clamp that I fastened on the edge of the dock to hold the handle of the fishing pole in place, then I attached a short stick with a trimmed branch forming a notch to catch the bottom edge of the deck planks. The trick is to tie the hook and bait just far enough to touch the surface of the water. The bait should be a small frog, grasshopper or cricket that will tickle the water surface that will aid in attracting fish. The fish will naturally grab the bait aggressively thus springing the trap and setting the hook.

Most fishermen like the thrill of the catch and prefer to reel in by hand but in an emergency situation this apparatus can be left unattended while you are busy building a shelter, fire, or other important work. If circumstances allow you the time to sit and watch it’s rewarding to see the twitch-up fishing rig in action.

The mechanical alarm is a fisherman’s clip-on bell that conventionally is attached to the end of a fishing pole to alert a fisherman that a fish has been caught on his staked-out fishing pole. My application is that I attach it to the B.O.B. so that when I set the B.O.B. down, for instance at a lobby, terminal, or restaurant, I can be notified if it gets moved or lifted.

The electronic alarm is a simple magnetic switch device purchased at a “dollar-store” that conventionally is mounted on a door or window frame with double sided tape. I use it unmounted, usually on the floor by a door so that when it is opened the alarm is shifted away from the magnet which then activates the shrill siren. This arrangement could be modified in the field by attaching some fishing line to the magnet and used as a trip-line. A trip-line can also be used on a mechanical device such as a mouse trap to trigger a loud sound.

I used to carry a motion detection alarm but have since switched to the small (and less expensive) magnetic alarm instead. An alternative to carrying alarms is to stack items like soda cans that will topple over if it is set in a pathway, by a door, or triggered by a trip-line.

For a creative mind there are many solutions for alarm systems but having a few reliable items on hand can make it a much easier task to achieve.

This trap is traditionally made with bamboo but can easily be made out of alternate materials such as saplings and tin cans. The trap consists of a hollow bamboo tube, a springy branch with cord and toggle, a small cord anchor loop, a large cord snare loop, and a tethered trigger stick. When the toggle is threaded through the snare loop, and is held down by the anchor loop and trigger stick, the snare loop is positioned inside the bamboo tube by the opening. When the rodent sticks it’s head into the tube and sets off the trigger stick, the snare loop tightens around the neck of the rodent and pins it against the roof of the tube.

As usual, several traps are set out to increase the chances of success. The branch extends through the tube and is driven into the ground to keep it in place, thus preventing it from being dragged away from a struggling animal. In the end, a rodent is probably the easiest catch and is the most plentiful. For non-emergency use, it can rid your premises from unwanted pests.

I began modifying the first stick by cutting the thin tip into a slightly flat chisel edge. The thick end, or handle, will be set on the ground and this piece becomes the upright support. The second stick we’ll call the “bait stick”. The handle (thick end) will have a top side and bottom side. On the top side I began to make a notch starting 1″ from the end, and cutting about 1/16″ into the stick and tapering out an inch toward the narrow end. Beneath this cut, on the bottom side, I cut a series of slight perpendicular grooves that when assembled will be placed over the chisel point of the support stick. You can cut grooves around the sharp end to better secure the bait.

When possible, I select a rock (or other heavy object) that has a flat or straight edge that I place on the ground so that it functions as a hinge and is much more stable when the trigger is placed on the upper end. It will in effect have a 3-point support. The general rule is that the heavy object should be 5x heavier than the animal to be caught.

To set up the deadfall trap, the bait is placed on the sharp end of the the bait stick. The handle is placed notch-side up under the rock’s upper edge with the bait end positioned underneath the rock to lure the animal to be caught. The support stick is placed chisel edge “up” and lodged along the groove area on the under-side of the bait stick. Adjust the position of the support stick forward or backward to allow the bait stick to float between the rock and ground.

The size of the bamboo chopstick trigger will work for small animals but by applying the same construction to larger sticks, it can be scaled up for larger game. When trapping, it’s wise to set up multiple traps to increase you chances of success.

The neck of the soda bottle makes a great funnel, and the body of the bottle makes a great cage. In essence, if you reverse the neck direction to face the body, what goes in the funnel lands in the cage. So, with a knife or scissors, pierce the side of the bottle at it’s widest point below the bottle neck and cut around the circumference of the bottle, then remove the neck, turn it around and insert it into the body, and viola!, you have a fish trap. You might be tempted to fashion an interlock at the cut line, but careful placement with a supporting rock will do. And speaking of placement, you’ll want to observe the water where you will be trapping for the presence of minnows or crayfish, and where they like to travel or hang out. In a stream, you’ll want to place the trap in slow water, with the bottle bottom facing upstream. You may also want to create a rock tent around it that will both secure it and provide a shaded fish haven. And don’t forget to put in bait first. In the trap shown in the photo, I placed a small worm and caught a crayfish. In this case, the crayfish could be an appetizer, or perhaps better used as bait to catch a bigger meal. Give it a try and let me know about your results.